Touch is also important for our mental health. American psychologist Harry Harlow demonstrated how important touch was with his studies on rhesus monkeys in the 1950s. In his experiment infant monkeys were raised with two surrogate mothers; one mother was made of wire, but provided milk for the infants, the other was made of soft terrycloth but did not provide food. He found that although the monkeys would go to the wire surrogate for food, they spent the overwhelming majority of their time clinging and cuddling with the terrycloth surrogate. In humans, the act of touching has proved to be vital as well. Gentle skin-to-skin touch of newborns stimulates brain development and helps the infant to feel loved and secure; it can lessen the amount of pain during teething, colic, constipation, and medical procedures, and contribute toward better sleep patterns. Children who are touched and embraced lovingly by their parents tend to develop into healthier and happier adults. Children and adults who experience nurturing touching have lower levels of depression, anxiety, aggression and impulsive behaviors. Even petting or cuddling with an animal can reduce stress and anxiety!

Pleasurable and warm types of touch, such as hugging, holding, caressing, kissing and stroking, are good for physical health too! Positive touching can lower blood pressure and increase levels of oxytocin. Oxytocin, known as “the love hormone,” is frequently released during emotional bonding and romantic attachment. It is also sometimes called the “cuddle hormone” because it is released during hugs and affectionate touching. Oxytocin makes us feel calm, relaxed, trusting, generous, and affectionate. It promotes growth and healing, improves immune function, speeds up the repair of physical injuries, reduces inflammation and can reduce stress and anxiety. Oxytocin hormones are also released during childbirth, sexual intercourse, and massage. Oxytocin can be released by both the giver and receiver of pleasurable touch; the more oxytocin that is released, the more you will enjoy and desire to be touched. Touching then raises your oxytocin even more. It’s a positive, upward cycle.

What better reason do you need to reach out and touch (or be touched by) someone today? Your sense of touch can provide healing to the mind, body and soul.

Nia can be reached via email at askniab@gmail.com.

• Replace chips with vegetables and low fat dip
• Eat lean meats. Make sure all fat is trimmed off and the skin is removed.
• Use non-fat milk when cooking or use it in your coffee instead of whole or 2% milk.
• Choose smaller plates, cups, and bowls when you eat. This will allow your food to take up more space on the plate and trick your mind into thinking you are eating more than you actually are.
• Don’t snack on things from the box. When doing this, you are more likely to keep eating. Take a serving size amount and eat that away from the box to avoid temptation.
• Choose water over sugar sweetened beverages. These beverages contain useless calories that can be avoided by consuming water. If you get bored with just plain water, add fresh fruit to it to give it some natural flavor.
• Take your time eating. This will give your body time to enjoy your meal and let you know that you are full.

These simple strategies have worked for me and I know they can work for you and for anyone. Making small changes can lead to big results.

• Always make a plate: When you go to a party, make a plate for yourself with the food you want to eat. Standing over the appetizers will entice you to keep grabbing more without you realizing how much you have consumed. Making a plate of food allows you to see how much you are eating.
• Portion control: It’s the holidays, you deserve to treat yourself to that piece of apple pie or holiday pastry, and however the best way to avoid weight gain is to eat the dessert in moderation. Take a slice of pie and cut it into two and give the other half to someone else. This will prevent you from eating the whole slice even when you decided to only eat half of it.
• Fill up on vegetables and main dishes to prevent over eating of the desserts and food items that may be worse for you. If you are full you are less tempted to over indulge on desserts.
• Don’t forget to exercise! Family and friends are great partners for exercise. Enjoy a nice walk or bike ride with them, take them to your favorite jogging spot or gym class and just enjoy each other’s company.

These are some great tips to follow. Remember to relax, enjoy the time you have during the holidays with loved ones, and keep your healthy habits up!

Most consumers wonder if organic food is better for you than non-organic food. Like most foods we eat, each has its advantages and disadvantages. Organic foods are great because they treat the animals fairly when it comes to their diets as well as the space they have to move. Also, since organic farms do not use pesticides, the incidence of spreading disease from crop to crop or animal to animal is reduced. A disadvantage to organic farming is it is more time consuming for the farmers due to the fact that less crops are produced per acre because they do not use pesticides. This makes organic foods more expensive to the consumer. Foods not grown organically are at an advantage because they are less expensive due to the use of pesticides and herbicides speeding up the growth process. They are also more readily available in grocery stores compared to organic foods. A disadvantage of non-organic farming is the use of un-natural chemicals to help grow the crops.

So which one is healthier?

Research is still being done to determine the health benefits of organic vs. non-organic foods, however right now there are no studies that prove one is better than the other. I believe that, whether organic or non-organic, selecting fruits, vegetables, and lean meats over selecting packaged goods is a healthier option. As for organic vs. non-organic, I suggest trying both to find your preference. Remember buying fresh, local produce is best for you and the economy!

The event brings together health organizations that provide health screenings and testing, as well as medical, mental, physical, and nutritional information. There is no cost to attend the event that provides the community with resources and services needed to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

To view images of the event please click here.

About DB Consulting

DB Consulting Group, Inc. (DB) is a small disadvantaged business (SDB) that has been delivering innovative, yet practical, solutions to government and commercial clients for more than a decade. Our expertise spans multiple arenas, including aeronautics, defense, education, health, homeland security, housing, justice, and social programs.

Further information on DB Consulting Group can be found online here.  DB Consulting can also be reached by phone at (301) 589-4020.  For specific information regarding the 5th Annual, please contact Barbara Triplett at btriplett@dbconsultinggroup.com.

These are functions of our conscious mind.  Self-help books reveal how to improve our memory, increase our vocabulary or sharpen our mental acuity.

But there’s no book filled with tips about how to improve your heart’s response to adrenalin or how to enhance your lung’s ability to oxygenate blood!  Why?  Because these are just two examples of millions of functions your body controls and regulates with not a single conscious thought from you.

How does this relate to a headache, back pain or the crick in your neck?

Your body is designed to survive.  Virtually every sign or symptom that we traditionally think of as an illness is merely your body’s best attempt at survival.  No errors.  Zero mistakes.  When your body feels threatened, it responds in a variety of ways to get your attention.  To encourage you to change.  To teach a lesson.  To tell you its capacity to accommodate or adapt to stress has been exhausted.

That’s amazing.  Even radical.  And to think, all of this is controlled and regulated by your nervous system–whose integrity and function for us is Job No. 1.

The Doctor

Dr. Bryant Harris knew from a young age that he was destined to impact the lives of others and be of service to his community, but not so much in what capacity. His passion, enthusiasm and energy for life and those who surround him has been seen in all aspects of his life – be it on the lacrosse field, swimming pool, tennis court, or in the office serving the members of his practice.

His life has been an amazing journey filled with numerous obstacles that helped shape and evolve him into who he is today. At the forefront of that evolution has been Chiropractic since his first adjustment at the age of 16, which left a lasting impression on his life. While pursuing his B.A. in Sociology (Pre-Med) from Duke University, he had a revelation that in order to make the impact he wanted to he had to diverge from the norm – at that moment he made the decision to become a Chiropractor. After receiving his B.A., he shifted his body and his consciousness to Hayward, CA to where he attained his Doctorate of Chiropractic and graduated with Honors. Through that experience, he grew his appreciation for being a part of so many healing processes and to watch people grow into the individuals they were destined to be. He expresses immense gratitude for being able to say he has found his life’s purpose and to be a conduit for healing, vitality and life expression.

Currently, he is working towards a Diplomate with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Through this post-graduate work, he is able to impact the lives of families who had lost hope as a result of traditional approaches to common childhood illness and pregnancy concerns. Additionally with the knowledge that the ICPA has given him, he attained a Certification in the Webster Technique.  For him, serving life is about unconditional love and creating an opportunity for people to reconnect to themselves and experience full expression of their innate self through the chiropractic adjustment.

The Practice

Located in heart of Washington, DC, TruCentered™ Chiropractic Care is a place that thinks radically different about health.  We are dedicated to helping people regain their life and allowing them to go about truly living again.  This Washington DC chiropractor serve all ages and walks of life – from newborns to their great-grandparents. People who are healthy and those who are less than healthy.  At TruCentered™ Chiropractic Care, we are committed to YOUR health, YOUR life and YOUR human potential.

TruCentered™ Chiropractic Care is a space in which we will assist in shifting your awareness towards a more vitalistic and holistic way of life by trusting the innate healing potential of one’s own body.  Every day our chiropractors see members of the Washington DC community become more and more interested in understanding how to take care of themselves and receive more out of life.  At TruCentered™ Chiropractic Care, we serve these needs with ongoing education and information, our intention is to lead people to fulfilling their highest potential in life.

At TruCentered™ Chiropractic Care, you will be cared for as a unique individual and special human being; you will never be treated like a case with a condition, ID number or file. People here receive hope and inspiration instead of prognosis or prescription.

Those who choose to seek help from TruCentered™ Chiropractic Care can be assured that they will receive only the finest quality care through the utilization of modern chiropractic equipment and technology.   Through the use of our heads, heart, and hands we are able to facilitate growth and healing by means of a precise and gentle chiropractic adjustment.

At TruCentered™ Chiropractic Care you will experience a different way of thinking about life, healing and wellness. It is a place where care is provided through an understanding and respect of the power that creates life.

Dr. Bryant Harris
TruCentered™  |  Your life aligned.
TruCentered™ Chiropractic Care  |  4708 Wisconsin Avenue NW  Suite 101 • Washington DC 20016
202 248-1704  |  Fax: 202 318-7598 | www.trucentered.com

Food items that help our bodies keep away cancer contain antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the cells in our body from being damaged by unwanted or harmful substances. These unwanted substances are called free radicals. Free radicals can damage our cells and help lead to cancer. Antioxidants are a way to help our bodies ward off and or slow down these free radicals from attacking our cells. We can find antioxidants in our food items that contain Vitamins C, E, and A, lycopene, and beta-carotene.

Antioxidants are found in large amounts in fruits and vegetables. Vitamins C, E, and A are found as great sources in the fruits and veggies we consume. For example, Vitamin C is found as a great source in fruits such as oranges and grapefruit; Vitamin A is found in sweet potatoes and carrots, and Vitamin E is in great abundance in mangoes and broccoli. All of these examples are every day fruits and vegetables that we can make sure to consume on a regular basis. Lycopene is an antioxidant found in tomatoes, grapefruits, papaya, and watermelon. Beta-carotene is found in foods that are orange in color such as squash, pumpkin, carrots, and cantaloupe. Besides all the vitamin and nutrient benefits fruits and vegetables give us, they also help us in cancer prevention. This gives us another reason why we should make sure our diets are rich in fruits and vegetables! Engaging in physical activity on a regular basis also helps us keep our immune system at its optimum to help us fight off disease and infections. Remember to get your 30 minutes of physical activity in daily, because that too will help in cancer prevention. Overall, it is nice to know that we can prevent diseases as large as cancer by simply making sure our diet is antioxidant rich and remaining physically active on a daily basis.

Visit www.cancer.gov for more great tips and education on cancer and cancer prevention.

Purchasing these items at your local market not only gives you delicious fruits and vegetables, but it also helps your community in return. What you purchase at your local market directly goes to your community, whether it’s to the farmer, the market, or the actual community area itself. All of these areas directly affect how your community strives, and when your community is doing well there are greater opportunities for you to do well whether it is at a job, school, or your overall health in general. I am all for farmers markets due to their wonderful accessibility for the community to receive great fruits, vegetables, and poultry at the best price and quality. I recommend finding your local community market and visit them to see exactly what everyone is buzzin’ about!

When I go out to eat, the first thing I look for is how the meal is prepared. You want to look for items that are not fried or cooked with lots of butter and oil. I always choose items that are baked, steamed, or cooked in a pan. Look for items that do not seem to be consumed by creamy sauces but rather are lightly seasoned to bring out their natural taste. Steamed vegetables are a great item to look for. When choosing protein, baked or pan seared cooking cuts down on some of the added calories that are brought upon by frying food items.

When you go to a restaurant don’t feel silly asking how big the entrée is. Most times items are big enough to share with another person. Sharing an entrée prevents you from over eating and continuing to eat when you’re not hungry.

Looking at what comes with the meal is most important when choosing a healthy option. I always look for an item that comes with vegetables, fruits, grains, and lean meats. These options are the healthiest. If you are unable to find something to this nature, ask to see if you can substitute part of the meal. Try a side green salad or steamed vegetables as opposed to the mashed potatoes or French fries. Ask to see if they can put any sauces or dressings that come with the meal on the side so you can add an appropriate amount to the meal. See if there is a leaner meat option that is served at the restaurant. Substitute whole grain for a bread option. These little changes to your meal can make a huge difference and give you an added bonus of vitamins and nutrients. You will feel better about yourself while still feeling full and satisfied. Next time you go out to eat try and see how you can make your meal healthier!

It’s finally summer time. We are all anxious to break out of our normal routines and enjoy the weather. Besides the sunshine, there are other things in the summer that we should be thankful for and take full advantage of. Most of the fruits and vegetables we consume are in their prime season in the summer time. Prime season means that they are the most fresh for that item for the year during this time. Seasonal summer fruits and vegetables include:

The list goes on and on. There is such a variety of fruits and vegetables that can be purchased and grown locally during the summer time. This gives you the opportunity to add fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. Not only do they taste delicious, they have great nutritional benefits. They are packed with natural vitamins and minerals that keep our bodies physically and mentally feeling at their best.

When deciding where and how to choose fruits and vegetables, you want to look for a location the sells the most fresh produce. These locations include farmer’s markets, local farms, and various grocery stores. When selecting the fruit or vegetable, make sure it is bruise-free and ripe. This allows you to get the most out of the product.

Enjoy these great tasting fruits and vegetables by adding them to your breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and pack them as a snack. Since its summer time, start up the grill and cook peppers, corn, and zucchini with some pepper or your favorite seasoning. Add fruit to your salads with a light balsamic or poppy seed dressing. Enjoy summer to the fullest!